Gravity feed animal feeder



im i?, 95@ E. s. LEE www@ GRAVITY FEED ANIMAL FEEDER Filed Nov. 4, 1944.4 Shets-Sheet l am W, m5@ E. s. LEE 2494,95@

GRAVITY FEED ANIMAL FEEDER Filed Nov. 4, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 .jm-af,W, 1%@ E. s. LEE

GRAVITY FEED ANIMAL FEEDER Filed Nov. 4, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 lo 'E79m5@ E. LEE gv'gl@ GRAVXTY FEED ANIMAL- FEEDER Filed Nov. 4, 1944 4Sheets--Sheei'I 4 Suma/M0@ Patented Jan. 17, 1950 Elmer S. Lee,Woodbine, Iowa Application November 4, 1944, Serial No. 561,928

Claims;

This invention relates to a gravity feed animal feeder and it is aparticular object of the invention to provide a feeder of this kindwherein the delivery of the feed into the feed trough is under controlof one or more gates mounted in a manner to permit close adjustment ofthe gate or gates with respect to the floor of the feeder and whereinthe mounting of said gate or gates is such as to provide effective meansfor agitating the feed under the outside pressure of the animal toassure the desired delivery of the feed to the trough.

Another object of the invention is to provide a feeder of this kindwherein is embodied the use of one or more gates for controlling thedelivery of the feed to the feed trough and wherein the mounting forsaid gate or gates is such as to permit said gate or gates to benormally maintained on an outward slant by the weight of the feed withinthe device. i

Av still further object of the invention is to provide a feeder of thiskind wherein one or more gates are employed for controllingthe deliveryof the feed within the device to the feed trough and wherein each ofsuch gates is carried by a hanger bar mounted upon the ,feed wall of thedevice in a manner whereby said supporting hanger can be verticallyadjusted as desired to assure effective placing of the control gate orgates.

The invention also has for an object to provide a feeder including oneor more feed regulating gates carried by a supporting hanger or bar andwherein suchhanger or bar is mounted in a manner to allow selectiveadjustment of the gate or gates with respect to the` floor of the feederirrespective of the pressure of the feed within the device under andagainst the gate or gates.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in thecombination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved gravityfeed animal feeder whereby certain important advantages are attained, aswill be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order that my invention may be the better understood, I will nowproceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken through the lowercentral portion of a feeder constructed in accordance with an embodimentof the invention, the section being substantially on the line I-I ofFigure 3;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical transverse Figure 6 is a detailfragmentary sectional View i taken substantially on the line I- ofFigure 5;V

Figure 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional View illustrating a furtherembodiment of the invention;

Figure 8 is an enlarged detail vertical sectional View takensubstantially on the line 8 8 of Figure 7; and

Figure 9 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view illustrating a stillfurther embodiment of the invention.

In the embodiment of the invention as illustrated in Figures 1 to 6 ofthe drawings, the floor boards I are suitably placed upon the sills 2and at each corner of the floor is an upstanding post 3. The posts 3 ateach side of the floor structure have their upper ends connected by aplate 4 upon which rest the lower extremities of the roof rafters 5 forthe roof structure 6. At each end of the floor structure at a desiredpoint inwardly of the adjacent post 3 is a second post 1 bridging thespace between the floor and a rafter 5.

The oor structure in the central portion ing partition posts P hereindisclosed as being' equidistantly spaced along the floor structure. Eachof these posts P is flat and is provided with the rear edge Ill, theupper portion of said edge being extended upwardly and outwardly, as atI I, on a predetermined angle.

The outer edge I2 of the post P from the top thereof to a point inrelatively close proximity to the bottom of the post is disposed upon apredetermined outward and downward incline, with the lower extremity ofsuch edge I2 cut back to extend downwardly and inwardly, as at I4, on adesired angle with respect to the edge I2. The bottom edge I5 of thepost inwardly of the cutback I4 is straight and at right angles to theedge I0. This bottom edge I5 has direct contact with the upper face ofthe floor and is suitably anchored thereto.

Common to all of the posts P and suitably secured to the cut back edgesI4 thereof is the feed box front Wall I6. As herein disclosed, this wallI6 has its bottom edge in contact with the floor and extends a slightdistance beyond the edges I2 of the posts and the top edge of the wallIB of each of the posts P is formed to have an out wardly and downwardlydirected angle, as at I8,

said edge portion I8 of each of the'rpostsP hav-v ing coacting therewitha swinging control-gate or gates to be hereinafter referred to.

The posts P immediately abovethe-lowerfam gled edge portions I8 havesuitably K-securedl thereto a feed wall I9, such wall being common t allof .the posts P. Ata point substantially midwayiof each painofadjacentposts P', the/wall.

ISls' providedzinits'upp'er 'marginal portion with a V slot' 2 0"extending a maj 0 1? vdistance thereacrossland twhich slots are defined'by the 'out' standingtcleats 2 I.'

Overlying'the inner.' face.v of the 'jfeed .wall I 9 is a'pluralityofgate hangers'or bars 'G and each of, which at its opposite end portionsis provided".

with the.transverselyextending bolts 22 so spaced apart'asto bedi'rected'throu'ghadj'acent slots V20 in the wall ISand cleats 2li Ea'chof thesebolts Y 221s ofa length .to extendoutwardlybeyond the wall"IBisufficientlvto allow-the 'threading there-V on of a clamping member orlnut'23 'whereby the gate-hangeror..b arA Ginay be effectively main#tainedin desired 'selective' adjustment relative 'to th'eiiorofffth'edevice asimay be determined by'.

th'ejrequirementsgof i'pra'ctice'.'

By;` havingsthe. slots-12N" V-shaped with th'e apice'sthereof.dwnwardlyjdisposed, the upward the members ornuts.23.wi11"betmaterially facilitatedeand.moreparticularlywhen it isdesired to liftahanger `or .bar GL It.h`as been foundof'ladvantag'e toemploy. a plurality of 'such hangers or bars as by. this means isfacilitated .themanual adjustment.'

their outward swinging movement as determined by contact of the lowermarginal portions of these gates with the angled rear edges I8 of theposts-YP. i Thisznorfmal positioning? ofqthe gates 26;'howeverr-,assuresa reductiom of theizpressure thereon by the feed and thereby allows thegates to lprovide means for agitating the feed by the pressure on thegates from without by an animal andf'parti'cularly-'a little pig. Inother words, the ugates -26 .notonly serve to regulate the delivery ofthe feed to the feed trough but also provide a meansfforagitatingathefeed to facilitate such deliverymnder the action of the animal.

Common to the posts R at each side of the device and restingupon andsuitably secured to the upper'f' angled portions II l'ofthe posts Av'isa' post plate 28'and interposed rib'etweeng theplate' 28and' theend'rafters Fare'the.'birrstuds`v 2 9 which 'pro'-l videsupport'for'a'feedibreakerandf'binfwall 30:"

nates rir'rafvertical V'plane'flying 'inwa-rdly of `the throatf-TlEachfeedwallvfl Sas isplearly'illustrated in the accompanying'drawings;terminates' 'a' materialv 0.,- from theunderside'pf the wail3Diiwh'erebyth`ere V movementofia hanger or bar Gupon release ofextending upwardly Vfrom it's`.top edge a"pry block 2l withwhicnacrowbar or othenin-ple'ment may beengagedlto .move vthe hangenor.bar .G"'down wardlyandfparticularly.. against 'the weightof thefeed'within'lthetdevicmagainst the gate A or.

and.thelextent.offoutwardQmovement kof each of these.gateslislimitedfby. contact .of ythe lower marginal portion ofthe.gate. 26'1withthelower extremity ..of the anglededgeportions I8 Vofthe associated '.postsP In'.the assembly, .the upperedge of each of thegates* 261s l closely adjacent to the lower edge tofy a hanger or barGfbut the upper .edge 2'I of Veach of the .gates .26 is disposedfonanoutwardand downward. bevelf. to.. provide proper clearance also'-v toreadily lpermit escape or .flow of any ground feedvwhichf.might"'.otlierwise interfere with' the desiredswinging movement'of 'thegate.

It*isv believed tobe readily "apparenttthat thel`- mounting.. of each ofthe hangers or bars Gis such as to readily permit verticaladjustment"thereof so".that:the gate ori gates 26"carried"thereby may,

if"'desired, be readily"broughtit0a C1056" adjust; 4

Thepressure of -the"feedwithin 'the 'devicezwill causev thegates 26`tobe normally at the `1imitof i is provided a'suitableopeningSIfrthe'fpassa'ge of air'toprevent fr'matioriof'a vacuum whichwould" hold'feed fromdropping downwithin: the :throat of the feeder. WithoutY theprovisionofthi's air'A extends .through a verticallydisposed slot 33in'@the *feedfwallf 34,"andithreaded'upon this .shank 32and'coactingwiththe adja'centface of the wall' l tinued 'by an' upstandi'ng threadedrod'36a`t right angles to the shank '32 and`whicli has its'.. upper.portion freelysextendedithrough a block 3,7"rig'idly secured fbetweenthe upper portions .of ia .pair .of 'iadja'cent partitin postsXI', Threaded upon .the

rodV .36 above and below. thelblock 31 "for coactionf therewith aretheythreaded 'members or. nuts .38

B'y' proper manipulation of thesemembers onnuts.V

3 8, .the supportinghanger or .b'ar ,HT maybe eff ectively vraisedand'lweredto-.bring the hanger or.. bar. or more particularlyjhefgabeorgatescarriedl thereby,`int'o required 'position with respect :to the.

floor.

I'the embodiment Tof tlief invention ,as illustrated in"Fgre'Qtle.Su'pportighanger or bar` S` for lth'f'e swingifggate'on gates is..provided i at each emiVj portiontwith the outwardlyj directed" threadedshank39 .'disposed 'through'. a. suitablypositioned*slot'"in"-tlie"fedwall 4I ian'dconfreely, extendedA'ithrougla'ppstplate 44 mounted upon'th'e *'top edge'of*'tlfe'partitionvposts' Y' and also through a reinforcingplate45`solidlysecured* between adjacent posts Y and in close contactfrom below with the plate 44. Threading upon the rod 42 and coactingwith the plate 44 and the reinforcing plate 45 are the members or nuts46 upon proper manipulation of which the supporting hanger or bar S maybe forcibly raised or lowered.

It is to be particularly pointed out that the hanger or bar G extendssubstantially the full length of the device which makes it morepractical and easier to make up and down adjustment as the bolts 22preferably are only at the extremities of the hanger or bar and thusmaking it necessary to operate only at two points to accomplish theadjustment.

This vertical adjustment of the hanger or bar G is important becausewith different kinds of grain it is necessary that the feed gates 26 beselectively spaced with respect to the iioor boards l in accordance withthe particular grain. For whole grain like shelled corn, barley, wheatand oats, the gates 26 do not have to be more than 11A; to 11/2 inchesup from the floor boards l to feed properly; for ground cornapproximately 21/2 inches up; for ground oats approximately 3 inches up;and for feed mixtures, such as alfalfa meal with ground oatsapproximately 4 inches up.

It is also of advantage to have each of the feed gates 26 approximatelytwo feet in length, thus making it easy for a small pig to agitate thesame and which agitation, as hereinbefore pointed out, is furtherfacilitated by having the gate 26 always on an angle as determined bycontact of the gate with the partition posts under the weight of thefeed.

In connection with this particular mounting of the gates 26, the breaker30 is also of importance because without the breaker 30 and particularlyshould the gates 26 be straight up and down, the weight of the feed inthe feeder would press so heavily against the gate that it would beextremely difficult to move the same but in the present invention theswinging gates 26 are easy to agitate on account of the feed breaker 30extending out and over so that the weight of the feed above hits atapproximately the center of the camel-back R or at a point materiallyspaced from the feed gates 26.

The feed breaker 30 operates to break up the feed so that it is looseand the breaker further acts to hold the weight of the feed above andoff of the feed within the throat. This throat is short and does nothold much feed and, therefore, the weight of the feed within the throatwill not cause it to compact and, therefore, as the feed is loose beforeentering the throat, it will be much easier for the gates 26 to be movedby small pigs to agitate the feed behind the gates.

All ground feed has a lot of fine flour in it and this fine flour sealsthe cracks of the feeder so as to make it practically air-tight. It isfor this reason that the air space or opening 3| is essential. It isalso to be pointed out that the air space or opening 3l is ofconsiderable size or area and such a large air space or opening assuresgood air circulation directly above the feed in the throat and under thefeed breaker 30 as the ready escape of heat is permitted and at the sametime allowing cool air to enter to mix with the ground feed as it fallsor rolls down the camel-back.

It is well known that ground grain starts heating or sweating and inwhich stage it is warm, damp and sticky and will bridge very easily. Byproviding air openings or spaces of large area or size, a maximum amountof the ground feed in the throat is exposed to agood air circulationwhich helps to get the feed in a ripe condition so it will not bridge soeasily and also keeps the feed in the throat from reheating.

` What is claimed is:

1. In an animal feeder, a floor, a hopper overlying the iioor andincluding an inclined side wall terminating a substantial distance abovethe floor, a second inclined wall extending upwardly from the floortransversely of and spaced from the lower edge of the wall to provide afeed escape opening, spaced vertical posts supported on the floor andextending upwardly beyond the lower edge vof said inclined wall anddisposed outwardly a substantial distance beyond the feed escape openingand the lower edge of the inclined wall, a vertical feed wall extendingacross the inner edges of and secured to said posts and spaced at itstop edge from the underside of the inclined Wall and spaced at its loweredge a substantial distance above the floor, the vertical plane of thefeed Wall being a substantial distance outwardly from the feed escapeopening beyond the lower edge of the second wall, a feed gate hingedlysupported by the feed wall and adapted to swing outwardly away from saidfeed discharge opening to extend outwardly and downwardly in the samegeneral direction as the second wall, and means for vertically adjustingthe feed gate in a plane parallel with the feed wall.

2. An animal feeder of the character stated in claim 1, wherein the saidinclined wall has its lower edge directed in a plane passing through thesecond mentioned wall substantially midway between the top and bottomedges thereof.

`3. An animal feeder of the character stated in claim 1, in which thesaid posts have their inner edges inclined outwardly and downwardlybelow the lower edge of the feed wall, the gate swinging toward andhaving its outward movement limited by the said inclined lower edges ofthe posts.

4. An animal feeder of the character described, comprising a floor, ahopper overlying the floor and including an inclined side wallterminating at its lower edge a substantial distance above the floor, aninclined bottom wall disposed in a plane extending transversely of theinclined wall, the bottom wall being spaced a substantial distance fromthe lower edge of the inclined wall to provide a feed discharge openingat an elevation below and positioned a substantial distance outwardlyfrom the lower edge of the inclined wall, vertical post members disposedvertically in spaced relation upon the floor at a substantial distanceoutwardly from the lower edge of said bottom wall and extending upwardlytoward the underside of the inclined wall and above the lower edge ofthe inclined wall, a vertical feed wall supported by and between saidposts upon the inner sides thereof, said feed wall being disposed in avertical plane a substantial distance outwardly from the lower edge ofthe inclined wall and the lower edge of the bottom wall, the top andbottom edges of the feed wall being spaced respectively from theunderside of the inclined Wall and from the oor, a member disposedacross one vertical face of and connected with the feed wall to beadjusted vertically thereon, a gate hingedly hung from said member toextend downwardly in a plane positioned outwardly from the lower edge ofthe inclined wall, the gate being swingable outwardly from the bottomwall to assume an angular disposition from the vertical away from saidbottom wall, the inner side of the feed wall forming with the lowerunderside of the egeeigese une positionedza: sue'eta'nciai:distance-entwurmt' vertical,feedwail supported: byT :indient-tendingacross" the inner YJedgesfof fsaidlpststektp edge offth'efeedrwaubeing-fatfan'elevatin la horizntallE plane abvef tliedhorizontaliplanelofi' tlie bnttomredgeof :the :inclinedrsidefwaniad spaced at vits topand'bottm edges' fif'ln the 'inclined'side wan: and` fromtneineen;sai'dlfeedrwan: havi'gfa 8, plurality K ofvvertical slots.-therein'f a bar member' disposed-"lengthwise of andA adjacent to'oneverticalf face of thefeedwall, threaded 'members carred'by said bar andextending througnthe feed wall slots; said' threaded members-beingmovable in thefslotsffor securing the bar in'vertieally adjustedposition, and a gate hingedly attached to and :hungfrom-.the-bottomerige-of said bar for swingingm'ovementfthe innerI edgesof said posts below the .feedwall functioning to limit the'out#wardswi'nging movement of the gate.

ELMER S'. LEE.

REFERENCES CITED' yThe following references'fareoi' record inthe le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 384,357r Garett June 12, 1888878,086' Pearson Feb. 4, 1908 1,278,583 Bretz Sept. 10, 1918 1,304,107Shenk" Mayl20,`1919 1,368,553 Frost Y Feb. 15, 1921 1,383,655 Morrison-July25, 1921 1,488,028''5 SCh011e Ma1. 25, 1924 1,507,159- Cosfod fSept. 2, 1924 l l l

